Pluto and the Turtleneck
by snowdrifts
Summary: "There are so many things I could have put in this letter, Riley. But there's only one thing that matters, and that thing is that I, Farkle Minkus, have been and will be in love with you forever." [Riarkle AU.]


**A/N: I haaaaaaaad to write a Riarkle one-shot! I've been so obsessed with them lately, you have no idea. This story includes some Riarlie, but let me remind you that this is a Riarkle one-shot. ;)**

 **This is an AU set in the future. There is some Riarlie, with mentions of Lucaya and Zaynessa.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Package for Riley Matthews." The mailman said. Her fiancé (and very soon-to-be husband) called her name out. The now 24 year old woman made her way to the front door of their New York apartment to receive her package. Her best friend Maya Hart had told her that she might receive an important package in the mail and that she should absolutely open it and cherish it.

The brunette signed for the package and took the surprisingly light box in her hands before closing the door. Her fiancé had sat on the couch, waiting for her. She came back and sat next to him, package on her lap.

"Who is it from?" He asked, leaning over to take a look at the box himself.

"There's no return address." She said.

"Mystery package. Might be a bomb." Her fiancé said, giving her a serious look. She rolled her eyes playfully at him.

"Charlie, it's not a bomb. The package is way too light for it to be a bomb, duh." Riley said. The man chuckled and kissed her cheek before standing up.

"Speaking of bombs, I have to head to work." Charlie said. He put his phone back into his back pocket. Charlie had found his calling after his family had been robbed during his teenage years; he wanted to be a detective. He didn't want to work in the robbery section, but he realized that narcotics could be interesting. He and Riley had reconnected after she had handled a case for the robbery department, in which Charlie had been assisting. Charlie was now part of the bomb-squad, waiting to be moved to narcotics. His transfer was happening once they would come back from their honeymoon.

"Love you!" He called out, grabbing his coat and walking out of their apartment. The brunette smiled down at the box after her fiancé had left, not able to wait any longer before she opened the box.

She ripped the box open.

Inside were three things: a letter and two bubble-wrapped objects. She picked up the letter first, on which was written _Riley_ in cursive. She didn't recognize the handwriting, but she didn't pay much attention to it. She just wanted to know who sent it.

She carefully ripped the envelope and took out the letter. She opened it, and this time, she recognized the handwriting.

It was the handwriting of none other than Farkle Minkus.

 _Dear Riley,_

 _I bet you never expected to hear from me again. After our whole adventure during Zay's wedding, I would have at least expected a phone call. But you never called. Honestly, I'm okay with it now. I understand that it was just a one-time thing, but it still hurt and to be completely honest, you had never hurt me as much as you did that night._

 _My whole life, you hurt me. Not intentionally, of course. Your soul is too pure to do anything so evil. Who would have known that someone as beautiful as an angel could wreck me like this?_

 _For a good part of our lives, I was convinced that I was in love with both you and Maya. The more and more I think about it, the more and more I realized that I never loved Maya like I loved you. You were gentle. You were calming. You were everything that a young boy would have wanted. Today, you are still gentle. You are still calming. You are still everything that a man could want, everything a man should want._

 _I never expected you to love me back. That night when you told me you loved me, and not just in a friendly way, was one of the most amazing nights of my life. We spent three years together before college and distance got the best of us. I tried my best to forget you; I even followed Maya's advice: The best way to get over someone is to get under someone. Nothing ever worked for me, because those girls weren't you. I never seemed to find the right girl, and the reason behind that, was that I had let the right girl get away._

 _We spent years apart. We didn't talk anymore. I thought we would at least be friends for life, but our relationship ruined what we had. Actually, our relationship didn't; the end of it did. But we were reunited for Zay and Vanessa's wedding. We spent the whole night with Maya and Lucas, reconnecting. They spoke of their child, you spoke of Charlie and I spoke of my work. You drank a bit too much champagne that night, and we danced. We danced the night away, like you said. The party continued back in my hotel room. I believe we both had too much to drink. The next morning, you were gone. You never spoke to me again._

 _I was in love with you, Riley Matthews. There are so many things that I want to put in this letter, but I can only write so much. There is only one thing that matters, and that thing is that I, Farkle Minkus, have been in love and will be in love with you forever. I am aware that soon, you will be married. You will become Mrs. Charlie Gardener. But I know you don't love him like you loved me. You don't have what we had. Which is why I'm asking you one last time._

 _There is a plane ticket at the bottom of the box. You can use it at any time, any day you wish, to any destination. If you take the ticket and come to me in California, we could start the life we've always dreamed of together. I'm asking you to leave Charlie behind, to leave the lie that is your current life behind. It's you and me._

 _I hope that this letter has convinced you to join me. I will be waiting for you. The address to my apartment is written on one of the objects in the box._

 _I hope to see you soon._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Farkle Minkus._

Riley put the letter down. She hadn't even noticed the tears that were streaming down her face.

She took out the two objects from the box. There was another envelope at the bottom of the box, just like _he_ had said. The brunette picked it up and opened it.

It was a plane ticket.

Her mind was running wild. She didn't understand why. Why now? Why this? Why, why, why?

She took the largest bubble-wrapped object. It was pretty flexible, and she could see the color orange through it.

"No, no, no…" She said, unwrapping the object. Riley sniffled and balled up the orange turtleneck in her hands, bringing it to her face. She cried into it. She doesn't remember for how long, but she poured her heart out. All of those bottled up emotions from the past years finally came out. Riley Matthews finally broke.

Once she pulled away from the shirt, her eyes flickered over to the smallest object. She racked her brain, trying to figure out what it was. She hoped it wasn't what she had put in that time capsule all of those years ago.

But it was.

She held Pluto in her hand, staring at the address Farkle had written on the small orange ball.

Her eyes found the plane ticket.

She couldn't just leave Charlie.

She wasn't that cruel.

She couldn't throw all of those years of her life spent to forget Farkle and spent building a life with Charlie just out the window. She couldn't leave her job. She couldn't just drop everything and go.

Still.

That night, Riley Matthews took the plane.


End file.
